Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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6. To ask the Minister for Defence to outline the extent to which ongoing training remains available throughout the Defence Forces, with particular reference to the need to ensure that such upgrading and training standards remain in line with best international practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20041/14]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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This refers to the ongoing need for upgrading of equipment and training of the Defence Forces, having particular regard to the fact that they must interact with other defence forces on overseas deployment. To do so, they should have the highest standard of equipment and training available.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Training and education of personnel at all levels are vital activities in any defence force as they enable personnel to achieve their required standard of operational effectiveness.

The Defence Forces conduct training and education under three broad categories, namely, skills training, career training and education and collective training. Skills training is the medium through which the Defence Forces ensures that its personnel have the requisite individual, specialist and crew skills to permit the development of organisational capabilities. Career training provides the organisation with the necessary pool of leaders and commanders at all levels from section commander to brigade commander. Collective training allows military personnel to use their individual, crew, specialist and career training together. This moulds sub-units, units and formations into integrated and coherent combat forces. It provides the Defence Forces with the capabilities required to fulfil their roles and missions at home and overseas.

External education at university and institute level at home and abroad fulfils Defence Forces requirements by providing education and expertise that cannot be delivered within the organisation. It ensures that Defence Forces personnel attain the required level of academic and professional qualification. The Defence Forces have a budget of approximately €2 million for training in 2014 and it is anticipated that all members of the Defence Forces will attend at least one training course this year.

Training standards in the Defence Forces are constantly benchmarked against best international practice. Participation in ongoing overseas operations also necessitates multilateral training and assessment. This facilitates the ongoing review of Defence Forces re-skilling and training methods and standards within an international military context.

I am advised that Defence Forces personnel continue to have modern and effective equipment and technology for their training and important day-to-day roles.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Is the standard and quality of equipment used for training throughout the Defence Forces equal to that available globally, with particular reference to the type of equipment likely to be used when interacting with other defence forces on overseas deployments?

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the military authorities that they are satisfied that existing Army training techniques and equipment are up-to-date in all respects. Personnel are trained and provided with all the necessary skills to the standards required to ensure that they can carry out all day-to-day roles assigned to them. This is clearly evidenced by the roles engaged in by the Defence Forces not only domestically but internationally. For example, I have visited the Middle East, where we have members of the Defence Forces in southern Lebanon. We have a joint Irish-Finnish contingent. Our Defence Forces, when they were a sole contingent out there, were interacting with other contingents as opposed to being a joint contingent. It is clear that the resources, weapons, protective resources and equipment available to them are as good as, and in some cases better than, the equipment being utilised by other defence forces. For example, the deployment of our Defence Forces was requested in the Golan Heights following the announcement by the Austrian contingent that it would withdraw. I insisted that specific and particular resources be available to provide force protection to members of the Defence Forces. That was agreed and those resources were substantially superior to the resources available to the other contingents engaged on the Golan Heights at the time.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his further reply. Is the Minister satisfied that the surveillance equipment and electronic technology available to the Defence Forces for training purposes remain at the highest standard?

Are the supply and transport training and equipment of the Naval Service and the Air Corps adequate to meet the challenges likely to be faced on deployment?

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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If I could say to the Deputy, both the Air Corps and the navy keep abreast of all developments in the context of training and how to deal with a broad range of issues. Training, for example, in the Air Corps is conducted in accordance with industry best practice and to the highest standard, referencing the European Aviation Safety Agency, EASA, and Federal Aviation Administration, FAA's requirements and using the most modern methods and equipment available.

In the context of the navy - for fear of being accused of repetition - we now have the new naval vessels coming on stream. We have the Samuel Beckett, which will be shortly commissioned and available and which has the most modern available technology as could be provided to facilitate the navy meeting its operational capabilities and obligations.